Youngstown man faces series of charges for chase, crash

Staff report

HERMITAGE, PA.

Gabriel A. Queener, 27, of Youngstown faces a host of charges in Mercer County District Court in Farrell, Pa., after Hermitage police say he fled from them and crashed into another car, injuring himself and three other people, about 7:45 p.m. Sunday.

Queener fled in his Ford Taurus from a traffic stop in the 3000 block of South Hermitage Road and crashed into another vehicle on Pa. Route 318 at the Ohio line. Both vehicles were severely damaged.

The occupants of the other vehicle were taken by ambulance to an area hospital, where they were in stable condition, Hermitage police said. A passenger in Queener’s vehicle was taken by ambulance to an area hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Queener fled on foot into Ohio, where troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol found him about 2:20 a.m. Monday, about three miles away, hiding in a Western Reserve Transit Authority bus parked at Cummins Sale and Service on Hubbard Masury Road in Hubbard Township.

Queener was taken to a hospital by ambulance because of a facial injury, police said.

Hermitage police said Queener admitted he was smoking marijuana at the time Hermitage police tried to stop him. He said he fled because he didn’t have a driver’s license and thought he had an arrest warrant, police said.

Pennsylvania State Police conducted the accident investigation.

A court spokesman said charges filed against him are fleeing and eluding police, recklessly endangering another person, drunken driving, accidents involving damage to an attended vehicle, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license.

No hearing date has been set for Queener’s arraignment.